A gamut of games.

• Position: Holiday Gifts Galore - Brief Article

Board games continue to hold their own against the inroads of electronic games, with old favorites being introduced constantly to new generations, while others are appearing in new guises, and still more are seeking to break into the market. Familiar names abound, meanwhile, giving the games that feature them a leg up on the competition.

Kermit, Miss Piggy, Fozzie, and the rest of the Muppets gang take over for the centuries-old traditional figures of a chess board, joined by Stadler and Waldorf, the Swedish Chef, Gonzo, and a bevy of mice/pawns. The Kermit Collection chess set is brightly colored; its figures are readily identifiable by most kids, helping them to learn the game; and the pieces are well made, not cheap plastic. The set, from Wood Expressions, Inc., Los Angeles, Calif., has a suggested retail price of $45.

Dr. Seuss' Grinch, fresh from his starring role in the film version of the classic Christmas tale, now stars in Whoville-Opoly ($24.95) from Late for the Sky, Cincinnati, Ohio. The classic board game Monopoly has been licensed in a dizzying amount of versions over the last few years, but this is among the most clever and colorful. Kids will find it far more interesting than the adult-oriented original, and their parents will find it entertaining as well, once they get adjusted to the idea of landing on squares labeled Rare Who Roast Beast, Snoozlephone, and Pumbrasellas instead of Park Place and Boardwalk.

For youngsters with a bent toward nature, there is Scrabble Jr: Wildlife Edition ($19.95), from USAOPOLY, Encinitas, Calif. Players keep score by adding up kid-size pine cones they receive when being first to complete a word by matching letter tiles to words on the crossword grid. One side of the gameboard highlights different wildlife animals (ocelot, ferret, jaguar, etc), while the flipside emphasizes the wildlife world (habitat, hibernate, migrate, etc.). It also contains a coloring book featuring facts about endangered species, and a portion of game sales receipts will benefit the National Wildlife Federation.

Knowing that kids start clamoring for what lies under McDonald's Golden Arches...